"Some people just need killing."
—Ned Parker, The Rock Hole
Coming in September 2016: Unraveled, the sixth Red River Mystery
Dark Places, the fifth Red River Mystery by Reavis Z. Wortham, is available now from Poisoned Pen Press.
Reavis was listed by MysteryPeople as one of the Top 5 Texas Authors for 2015
Dark Places was named one of the 12 Top Books for 2015 by Strand Magazine and one of the Best Small Fictions of 2015 by the Dallas Morning News
Buy it now from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound
"A well-written, multifaceted tale of murder and cultural discontent in a small, northeast Texas town near the Oklahoma border in 1967."
—Dallas Morning News
"Wortham nails the time period, the hardscrabble town, and the people, for whom family loyalties are paramount."
—Publishers Weekly
"Wortham is a masterful and entertaining storyteller... equal parts Joe R. Lansdale and Harper Lee, with a touch of Elmore Leonard."
—Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
"Authentic... the novel’s short chapters fit both the fast pace and the deftly spare actions and details."
—Historical Novel Society
"Reavis Z. Wortham is the real thing: a literary voice that's gut-bucket Americana delivered with a warm and knowing Texas twang."
—C.J. Box, New York Times bestselling author of Endangered
"With each new book, Reavis Wortham again proves that his is one of the most engaging voices to hit the bookshelves in years. Dark Places takes us exactly there: the darkest corners of society and of the soul; but Wortham shows so much heart and delivers so much suspense that readers will happily accompany him every step of the way. A top-notch read!"
—John Gilstrap, author of the Jonathan Grave thriller series
"This’s one helluva book! The story lines in Dark Places grab you from the git-go and simply don't let go. Populated with richly drawn characters, good and (deliciously) evil, and propelled by some of the best dialogue you’ll find in thriller writing today, the novel delivers on all levels. Think: Elmore Leonard meets James Lee Burke. A true winner!"
—Jeffery Deaver, International Bestselling Author
Vengeance Is Mine, the fourth Red River Mystery by Reavis Z. Wortham, is available from Poisoned Pen Press.
Named one of the Top 5 Modern Westerns by True West Magazine
Number One on Bookpeople's list of the Top Five Texas Books of 2014
Buy it now from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound
"A satisfying read... the pleasure comes from snappy but believable dialogue, complex character interaction, and an elaborate and carefully constructed plot. Full of twists, confrontations, and quirky reflections."
—Southern Literary Review
"Very entertaining... Those who have read the author’s earlier books, including The Right Side of Wrong (2013), will be familiar with Center Springs and its rather unusual denizens, but knowledge of those earlier volumes is not required. This is a fully self-contained story, and it’s a real corker."
—Booklist (starred review)
"Reavis Wortham doubles down in Vengeance is Mine, the fourth in his Red River Series, and for mystery readers it’s a Full House when Las Vegas intrigue invades Center Springs, Texas. Aces High, Constables Ned, Cody Parker and company are terrific riding and reading partners."
—Craig Johnson, New York Times bestselling author of the Walt Longmire Mysteries, the basis for A&E’s hit series "Longmire"
Discover the whole Red River Mystery series!
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As a boy, award-winning writer Reavis Z. Wortham hunted and fished the river bottoms near Chicota, Texas, the inspiration for Center Springs. He is the author of Doreen's 24 HR Eat Gas Now Café. Humor editor and frequent contributor for Texas Fish and Game Magazine, he writes on everything from fishing to deer hunting. In addition to several other magazines, his work has appeared in American Cowboy and Texas Sporting Journal. A retired educator of 35 years, he and wife Shana live in Frisco, Texas. More about Reavis